INOUE-BUTLER
EVERY single time a British underdog ventures overseas to challenge for some form of championship, their mission is compared to the one Lloyd Honeyghan completed way back in September 1986 when he stunned the entire boxing world by beating Donald Curry. Frequently, however, the comparisons are way off because, one, the title they’re fighting for is nondescript and/or, two, the opponent in no way compares to how exceptionally good Curry was back then.
But should Paul Butler ace his upcoming task and unseat fearsome world bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue in Japan on Tuesday (December 13), it will be every bit as shocking and impressive as Honeyghan caramelising Curry in Atlantic City. Perhaps more so.
Plenty, including Boxing News, recognise Inoue as No.1 in the pound-for-pound chart. Only Terence Crawford or Oleksandr Usyk comes close. Back in 1986, before Honeyghan scored the greatest overseas victory to date by a British fighter, Marvelous Marvin Hagler was Curry’s sole rival as the sport’s leading talent. Honeyghan, like Butler today, was mixing with true boxing royalty.
The 16/1 outsider can learn plenty from Honeyghan’s crowning moment. The latter claimed the world welterweight title by showing Curry little respect, artfully taking the fight to the favourite and
